On 24 August 2016, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake hit the ApenninesMountains in central Italy, devastating the small towns of Amatrice,Accumoli and Pescara del Tronto. At the time of writing, 293 lives werelost. This is the latest in a series of heavy earthquakes to hit Italy in recent years. The country is particularly exposed to earthquake risk as it is located where continental plates collide and building stock is vulnerable. Yet just over 1% of residential buildings are insured against earthquakes. How can Italy and its residents better prepare for future events?

Italy is the fourth largest country in Europe in terms of economic output and population. It transformed from being a rural-based economy into a major industrial power in the 1950s and first half of the 1960s, but now faces major challenges. Productivity has stagnated overs the last 15 years, and the economy has been in outright recession for more than three years.

Istanbul is Turkey‘s powerhouse, generating more than 40% of the country‘s GDP. The 14 million people in its metropolitan area live under the constant threat of severe earthquakes. And the next one could very well be just around the corner.